Driving means for electric locomotives.



G. H. DOWNS. I DRIVING MEANS OF ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1908v Patented 0013.24, 1911.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- Imus 11161":

G. H. DOWNS.

DRIVING MEANS OF ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.13, 1908.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Oct. 24 1911.

G. H. DOWN S,

DRIVING MEANS OF ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1908.

wltmsses:

. Gull G. H. DOWNS. DRIVING MEANS OF ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATIOh FILED NOV.13,' 1908.

Patented Oct. 24, 19M.

LOOCXSQ.

5 SHEETSSHEE 4.

G H. DOWNS.

DRIVING MEANS OF ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1908 1,006,?82B Patented 002.1911.

.5 SHEETS SHEET 5v P Q n e w b U STATES GEORGE H. DOWNS, OF PORTLAND,' OREGON. ASSIGNOB O13 ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM E. GRACE, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

DRIVING MAINS OF ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.

' the following'is a specification, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings constituting a part thereof.

This invention has for its object to obtain an electric locomotive which is adapted to travel over long distances, and is independent of overhead trolley or third rail; that is to say, the locomotive being provided with a primary engine to drive a dynamo, and the latter generating the electromotive force forthe motors of the driving wheels.

Furthermore, my invention has for its object to equip my locomotive with the same type of running gear as is at present in use on the standard steam locomotive, in this; that such running gear shall comprise wheel-trucks pivotally supporting the carbody of the locomotive, said wheel-trucks comprising j ournal-bearings adapted to have vertlcal play, equalizing means therefor, and driving wheels having their axles journaled in such bearings; and to use power-transmitting means, between the motor and the axles of the driving wheels, which do not require that the 'motors be supported in swingin frames in order to accommodate the vertical play of the journal-bearings of the driving wheels. In short, to avoid rigidity in the power-transmitting devices from the motors to the axles of the driving wheels, and to provide for a center drive from the centers of the motor axles to the centers of the driving axles. I accomplish the purposes of my'invention by the'arrangement of the devices here-7 inafter fully described and illustrated in the drawings. y y

In the drawings: Figures 1,2, and '3, taken together, are a longitudinal section, representlng my locomotive in three parts,

namely: the front end, the centralportion, and the rear ciidg, the views being drawn with overlapping Eeonnecting' ends so as to facilitate the reading of the same; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale than the preceding figures, and represents a portion of the running gear, at the front 7 Specification of Letters Fatent. Application filed November 18, 1908. Serial No. 462,480.

superposed end of Patented Oct. at, ion.

end of my locomotive, including'the wheeltrucks, the bearing pivotally supporting the the carbody, the driving wheels, the motors, and operative connections; Fig. 5 is-a plan view of the wheeltruck of the front end of my locomotive, the superposed car-body being shown in dotted outline a; Fig. 6 is a partial plan view, agreeing .with Fig. 4, of the front wheel-trucks, showing the driving wheels and one of the motors thereof, the upper part of the motor-housing being removed; and Fig. 7 is a detail of the construction of the frame of the car-body.

Referring to the letters in the several views: The body, a, of my locomotive is made of elongated form, and the floor of the middle portion a thereof is dropped below the level of the two ends, so as to provide ample room to accommodate the large dynamos 11, 11. To install these the floor-girders 19, of the ends of the car-body, are connected by removable irder-pieces 19, which, when taken out, Wlll clear entirely the openings in the sides provided by the sliding doors 17 The front end of the oar-body is provided with an oil tank 6, and the rear end with a water tank'c. The car-body is pivotally supported. at its ends on wheel-trucks h, i, the construction of which is substantially the same. Said wheel-trucks represent a common type of construction, except that they have each projecting portions, 71., i, under which is pivoted a bogie truck, 7', k. A pivotal bearing Z, of a common type of construction, is provided at the center of the frame of each wheel-truck, and on such pivotal bearing rests the bolster m, which is provided with longitudinal, bracket-like portions n, n, to

afford an eihcient support for the car-body.

A chock-block 0 is mounted on the front end of each'wheel-truck. The head of such chock-block is provided with cavities in which are journaled friction wheels p, the

lower ends of the journal-pins p'of whichare journaled in the body of the chock-block, and the upper end of said journal-pins are journaled in a plate 9. The friction Wheels are of such diameter as to project beyond :ih e faces of the chock-block, as illustrated in To the bottom of the oar-body, at the ends, there are fastened above the chock-blocks receive the head of the chock-block and webs to connect said walls 25, t with-the lateral members 8' of the head-plate s. The

bulk-heads and chock-blocks constitute supplemental connecting mediums between the car-body and the wheel-trucks, and serve to relieve the strainimposed on the pivotal connections of the wheel-truck with the carbody, in case of. sudden stops, or collision with an obstruction on the track.

The features described in the last two paragraphs constitute the subject matter of my contemporaneous application for Letters Patent.

The truck-frames are alike in construction. .Each is provided with vertically movable journal-boxes u, in which are journaled the ends of the axles 'v of the driving wheels w. The journal-boxes u are connected bya spring-equalizing gear of the type commonly employed in the running gear of standard steam locomotives, and for the same purpose. 7

On the frame of the wheel-trucks are mounted motor-housings, each of which consists of two parts, namely, a lower part 2, on which is fastened a removable cover 2. The lateral ends of the motor-housings are provided with journal-bearings 3, 3, inte ral-parts of the casting, and in said journa -bearings are journaled the ends of the motor axles 4.

' In order to obtain a center drive from the motor-axles to the car-axles 0), each of the -motors is divided into two units 5, 5", mount-' ed on the same axle, which units are spaced apart, as shown in Fig. 6, and centrally between said motor-units there are rigidly mounted on the motor-axles 4 sprocket-gears 6. Said sprocket-gears 6 are preferably made ofdivided body, clamped on its axle, and the rim-sides provided for the gearbody are removable so as to permit the renewal of this gear, when worn or injured in service.

On the axle 'v of the driving wheels 'w there is centrally, rigidly mounted a sprocketgear 7. This gear is made with a twopart body, and two-piece flange-sides, arranged substantially as shown in Figs. .4 and 6, whereby this gear is adapted to be removed from the axles 'v of the driving wheels, and replaced by other gears of larger or smaller diameter, to change the speed ratiotof transmission. A

The details of construction of the two types of gears, just above described, consti-' tute the subject matter of two co-pending applications by me for Letters Patent.

Sprocket-chains 8 connect the sprocketgears 6, 7, as illustrated in dotted outline.

-axle-to have t It will be apparent that the means for operatively connectingt-he gears of the axles of the motors and the driving wheels are especially designed to allow either wheel e vertical ,play required to adjust itself to inequalities in the rail surface. To this endI use sprocket-chains, as the flexible medium for transmitting the power from the motor-axles to the wheelaxles. Besides, such power-transmitting means are much less liable to injury than meshing gears. I use sprocket-gears provided with deep flange-rims to prevent any accidental displacement of a sprocket-chain from the gears over which it is running. Since the wheel-base of the driving wheels is not very longapproximately fifteen feet-there would, in consequence, be no apprehension of the individual vertical play of the Wheel axles-due to inequalities in the rail surfacesbeing suflicient to interfere with the proper working of the sprocketchainsl A further advantage obtained in the use of sprocket-gears and chains for power-transmission is that, in case of a break-down in one of the motors, the sprocket-chain running thereon can be readily removed, so that the related driving wheels can revolve independently of the motor. Further, each of the driving-wheel axles is individually driven, and there are no rigid connecting bars.

My driving means I have arranged in two units, one for operating the driving wheels of the runnin gear under the front end of the locomotive, and the other for operating the driving-wheels under the rear end of the locomotive. Each of said driving units consists of a primary engine, 9, 9, that shown being a well known type of gasolene engine. The driving engines are connected by power-transmitting means, 10,

'10, with dynamos, 11, 11. The dynamo 11 motive-body, and the dynamo 11 is likewise connected with the motors of the running gear under the rear end of the locomotive-body. Such electric connections I. have not detailed because they are well understood by those practiced in the art of electricity, as related to electric railways.

The observation station '12, rovided in the car-body for the engineer is provided with a controller 13, and switches 14, whereby the engineer can out in and out the motors of the respective units. of the driving inc means, as desired. Either unit of the driving means is designed to furnish sufiicient powerto move the locomotive and the load hauled thereby; but, of course, the use of only one unit of driving means is intended merely for emergency cases, suchas a breakdown in one of the dynam'os, or in the motors thereby operated, and normally the two units of driving means would be operated simultaneously. 1

16 represents the lever of the air-brakes, which are not shown, but supposed to be arranged as usual.

The. observation station is built above the floor of the car; so as to make it convenient for the engineer to loot: out through the windows of the hood 18. These details, as well as the other features of construction appearing in the drawings, are, however, unimportant to this invention; and some. of the parts not referred to in this description are named in the drawings to suggest their purpose. 7

' In many of the views the usual connecting bolts of the parts have been omitted to avoid obscuring other features shown in the drawi'ng's. v

I claim:

1. In an electric locomotive, the combination of a car-body, driving means comprising a primary engine and a dynamo driven thereby, truck-frames pivotally supporting the car-body at its ends, journal-bearings arranged to have independent vertical play in said frame, equalizing devices connecting the journal-bearings, driving wheels fast on common axles, the ends of which are journaled in said bearings, a motor for each driving-wheel axle, the axle ends of said motors being journaled in hearings on the frame of the wheel-trucks, electrical connections between the dynamo and the related motors, sprocket-gears fast on the motor of the enginetr axles, sprocket-gears. fast on the drivingwheel axles, one of each pair of connected sprocket-gears being-removable so as to be replaceable by another of different diameter and thereby change the speed ratio of transmission, and sprocket-chains connecting the sprocket-gears of the axles of the related motors and driving-wheels.

2. In an electric locomotive, the combination of a car-body, drlving means compr1sing a primary engine and a dynamo driven 1 thereby, truck-frames pivotally supporting the car-body at its ends, journal-bearings arranged to have independent'vertical play in said frames, equalizing devices connecting the' journal-bearings, driving wheels fast on common axles, the ends of which are journaled in said bearings, a motorfor each driving-wheel axle, the axle ends of said motors beingjournaled in hearings on the frame of the whee -trucks, said motors consisting each of two units mounted, spaced apart, on a common axle, electrical connections'between the dynamo and the related motors,sprocket-gears fast on the centers of the motor-axles between said units of the motors, sprocket-gears fast on the drivingwheel axles, one of each pair ofconnected sprocket gears being removable so as to be ,in said frame,

replaceable by another of different diameter and thereby change the speed ratio of transmission, and sprocket-chains connecting the sprocket-gears of the axles of the related motors and driving-wheels.

3. In an electric locomotive, the combina- I motors being journaled in hearings on the frame of the wheel-trucks, said inotors consisting each of two units mounted, spaced apart, on a common axle, electrical connections between the dynamo and the related motors, sprocket-gears fast on the motoraxles, sprocket-gears fast on the drivingwheel axles, one of each pair of connected sprocket-gears being removable so as to be replaceable by another of different diameter and thereby change the speed ratio of transmission.

4. In an electric locomotive, the combination of a car-body, driving means comprising a primary engine and a dynamo driven thereb the car-body at its ends, journal-bearings arranged to have independent vertical play in said frame, equalizing devices connecting the journal-bearings, driving wheels fast on common axles, the ends of which are journaled in said bearings, a motor for each driving-wheel axle, the axle ends of said motors being journaled in hearings on the frame of the wheel-trucks, said motors con sisting each of two units mounted, spaced apart, on a common axle, electrical connections between the dynamo and the related motors, removable sprocket-gears fast on the motor axles, sprocket-gears fast on the driving-wheel ax1es,- and sprocket-chains conmeeting the sprocket-gears of the axles of the related motors and driving-wheels.

5. In an electric locomotive, the combination of a carbody, driving means comprising a primary engine and a dynamo driven thereby, truck-frames pivotally supporting the car-body at its ends, journal-bearings arranged to have independent vertical play equalizing devices connecting the journal-bearings, driving wheels fast on common axles, the ends of which are journaled in said bearings, a housing secured on said truck-frame, said housing having removable top, and journal-bearings integrally formed at the ends of the housing, a motor for each driving-wheel axle, said motor having an axle journaled in said bearings of the motor-housing, electrical connections betruck-frames pivotally supporting tween the dynamo and the related motors, sprocket-gears fast on the motor axles, sprocket-gears fast on the drivingwheel axles, and sprocket-chains connecting the sprocket-gears of the axles of the related motors and driving-wheels.

6. In an electric locomotive, the combination of a car-body, driving means compris-. ing a primary engine and a dynamo driven thereby, truck-frames p'ivotally supporting the car-body at its ends, journal-bearlngs arranged to have independent vertical play in said frame, equalizing devices connecting the journal-bearings, driving wheels fast on common axles, the ends of which are journaled in said bearings, a housing secured on said truck-frame, said housing having a removable top, and journal-bearlngs integrally formed at the ends of'the housing, a motor for each driving-Wheel axle, said motor having an axle journaled in said bearings of the motor -housing, electrical connections between the dynamo and the related motors, removable s rocket-gears fast on the motor axles, sproc et-gears fast on the drivingwheel axles, and sprocket-chains connecting the sprocket-gears of the axles of the related motors and driving wheels.

tion of a car-bod driving means compris- I ing a primary ngine and a dynamo driven .oomotive, the combinathereby, truc -frames'pivotally supporting the car-"body at its Bends, journal-bearings arranged to have independent vertical play v cured on said truck-frame, said housing having removable top, and journal-bearings integrally formed at the ends of the housing, a motor for each driving-wheel axle,

said motor having an axle journaled' in said bearings of the motor-housing,-said motors consisting each of two units mounted, spaced apart, onea common axle, electrical connections between the dynamo and-the related motors, removable sprocketears fast on the motor axles, sprocket-gears a st on the driving-wheel axles, and sprocket-chains connecting the sprocket-gears of the axles of the related motors and driving wheels.

' GEORGE H. DOWNS. Witnesses: g

CECIL LONG, T. J. GEISLER. 

